Alphabet Soup: White Collar Style
by SherlockXHolmes23
Summary: A collection of one-shots, drabbles, and maybe even sneak peaks to other stories, all having to do with the wonderful characters of White Collar. All in alphabetical order.
1. A: Another Way

A/N:Here is how it's going to work. I am going to use various quotes from the episodes, like the one below. It will have specific words in it, like for this one, it's _Another Way_. So that means that the title for this one is _Another Way_. I am also going to list the episode it is from and who said it. The next chapter will contain another quote, but this time instead of having an A word, it will have a B word. And so on and so on. I might make an update like every Friday, considering these are small and easy to write. It can be considered a weekend treat! Please Review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Only the ideas in my head are mine, and no you cannot have them.  
>Word Count: 200<p>

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><p>Neal -"There's always <em>another way<em>." 2x01 Withdrawal

There's always another way to do things. Always. It might not be the shortest way, or even the most perfect way, but there is another way. It doesn't matter if you're stealing from a bank or just picking someone's pocket. There is always another way to earn that money.

Some people find it odd that he goes out of his way to make sure that no one gets hurt. That he intentionally makes it so that nobody knows a thing about what just happened.

It's what makes him so good. The elaborate schemes that are meant to prevent harm for anyone that doesn't deserve it, the thefts that never include weapons or deadly force… It doesn't take an idiot that long to figure out how to use a gun. However it takes a considerably longer time for that idiot to plan an entire bank heist without using any weapons at all. Or to go through a life of crime without pulling a gun on someone.

He says that it's because violence is messy, that it's unoriginal. But Peter knows that's not the truth. He knows that something happened to Neal to make him this way. And that something wasn't good.


	2. B: Burke and Caffrey

A/N: Since I cannot wait until next friday to post this, you get it early! I'm thinking of changing it to every two days or so, depending on how much time I have. I already have the quotes for A through E so it shouldn't be that hard. I actually have all of E ready. They will all most likely be double drabbles, or even a drabble.

Disclaimer:I own nada, zilch, zip.  
>Word Count: 200<p>

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><p>B- "I can see the wanted posters now, but it would be <em>Burke and Caffrey<em>."—Peter 2x01 Withdrawal

Peter tries not to listen to rumors. He finds them annoying and totally immature. Why would anyone want to know who's been staying late for a little hanky panky in the office?

After working for the Bureau for over ten years, Peter already knows how to deal with the gossip. But he can't help but feel a twinge of uncertainty when he hears the whispers. The whispering of agents he had never met, talking about his new criminal consultant. Talking about how it's more than a bad idea to have a criminal like Caffrey work beside them.

He begins to wonder, '_Am I doing the right thing?_' But every ounce of uncertainty leaves his body when Neal walks in, gray fedora still on his head. Peter smiles, he knows he's made the right decision, knows it in his gut that this will be more than beneficial. Sure, it might carry some risks, but what decision doesn't? Never has there been a 100% risk free decision in this line of work. Having Neal here is better than having him out in the world, where the temptation is too great.

Now if only he could convince the other Agents of this fact…


	3. C: Con or Man?

A/N: I totally forgot to put this up yesterday. Sorry about that. I was working on my other story Family Heritage. (The chapter you all have been waiting for is almost complete. -Almost being the keyword there.-)

disclaimer: obviously none of these characters are mine, so obviously don't sue me.

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><p>C- "You can either be a con or a man. You can't be both." –Peter (I wanna say that it was sometime in season 3, but I'm not sure what episode. Correct me if I'm wrong.)<p>

Some people say that Peter took his sweet time in catching Caffrey. That the chase shouldn't have lasted as long as it did.

But with each passing year, with every failed sting and loose ends that led to nowhere, Peter learned something new about Caffrey. And soon, every something he had learned morphed into a perfect understanding of the enigma that is Neal Caffrey.

Or so he thought it was perfect. A month or so after Neal began his consulting, Peter realized something. He realized that he only understood the con, not the man.

If it had taken him 4 years to understand the con, then how long will it take for him to understand the man? The real Neal Caffrey. Not just some petty façade or a bunch of lies thought of on the spot. Peter wanted to know the real deal, not just some phony.

He knew it would take some time to break down Neal's barriers. Only god knew how many the kid had. But Peter would do it. He would do it because he knew that if he didn't, then no one else would. No one would take care of Neal like he did. No one.


	4. D: Daydreams

A/N: Didn't get to upload this on Friday, so here it is now! I was in Syracuse New York visiting my sister who is in college. Had a wonderful time though. I might even give you letter E later on if I fell up to it.

disclaimer: don't own anyythinggnggg!

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><p>D-"Maybe <em>Daydreams<em> can come true."- Neal, 3x07 Taking Account

People call him a daydreamer, a man whose head is always in the clouds, never focusing on the job at hand. Most of those descriptions are true. Except for the focusing one; that one was false. Neal was always focused. Always focused on something, because he knows that if he doesn't, then he'll begin to think about things that were never meant to be thought about. Things that nobody should ever think about.

They say his dreams are farfetched, that no one would be able to achieve them. No one with a past like his would be able to even think about settling down. And yet he still dreamed about it at night. He dreamed of all of the possibilities, of all of the things that could have happened. It's a long list but somehow Neal does it.

He does the impossible. He makes the dream come alive, as if it was actually an option to begin with. If it's not too late, then he can make it happen. It's a special gift, one that only he has figured out. It's one of the things that makes him the man that he is now. It's what makes him Neal Caffrey.


	5. E: Escape

A/N: Guess what I'm being for Halloween guys! NANANANANANANANANANANA BATMAN! Haha, I got the mask over the weekend. It should be fun. Anyways... it's just a simple drabble for today, hope you like it.  
>And a many thanks to LianneZ4 for leaving such an awesome review! Really, it made my day.<p>

Disclaimer: own nothing as usualll.

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><p>E-"Caffrey's pretty savvy at planning an <em>escape<em>." 3x01 On Guard

When Neal Caffrey walks into a building, he looks for exit strategies, not people. He makes a point to know where all of the exits are, just in case something happens. Just in case he needs a quick getaway.

Some of these last minute escape routes have saved him and others he never had to use in the first place. But still he looks for them. He still looks for them because he knows that it's better to be safe than sorry. Better to be cautious than to be trapped.

He's been trapped before, and he barely got out alive.


	6. F: Fool You

A/N: Happy Friday everyone. I don't know about you but I am glad that it's finally the weekend.

Disclaimer: i own nothing.

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><p>Alex- "This is beautiful. It almost looks like the real thing." Neal- "Don't let it <em>fool you<em>." 1x14 Out of the Box

The thunder rumbled in, a low guttural sound that resembled an angry cry from a very furious man. A man who had gotten betrayed from the one person he less expected it from.

He scowls, angry at himself for letting his guard down. For letting this happen. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this was a bad idea, but the curious investigator in him distracted him. Distracted him from seeing who Neal Caffrey really was.

The lightning flashed and crackled, making the dark clouds stick out for the brief moment of brightness. That one moment of clarity. Peter knew that this was going to happen, knew that one day Neal would betray him. He had hoped that the day would never come, but all good things must come to an end.

He hadn't expected it to hurt this much though. He'd expected the anger, and the disappointment in both himself and Neal. But he didn't expect to feel his heart break. Break into little pieces that nobody could repair.

It was as if Neal had broken into his ribcage and waited until the precise moment. The moment when he knew that his betrayal would hurt the most.


	7. G: Got My Back & Guns

A/N: Because I could not make up my mind between these two G quotes, you guys get two double-drabbles! I couldn't decide on something fluffy and bromantic to make up for the darkness of the last one, or just make another dark and angsty one. So you guys get both. Please Review. Seriously, I'll love you forever.

Disclaimerr: not mine.

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><p>G-"You've <em>got my back<em>, right?" I don't know what episode this came from. Feel free to tell me.

"You don't have to do this Carl…" Neal says, his hands slowly rising in caution. He didn't see the gun in his hands until it was too late. He could only hope for Peter to show.

"If I don't, they'll kill me." Carl's hands trembled every once in a while, as if his body was telling his mind to not to do this.

"So you're solution to this plan is what? Kill me and then yourself?" Neal asks, and he swallows uncertainly when he's met with a glare.

"That's exactly what my plan is."

Carl steps closer, hands no longer trembling. Carl takes a step forward, Neal takes a step back. They continue their dance until Neal walks into the wall behind him.

The atmosphere is tense and Neal can feel his pulse quickening with every passing moment. Before Carl can pull the trigger however, the door plummets to the floor.

A series of shouts makes Carl fumble; the gun drops from his hands. Soon he is led away in handcuffs. Neal takes a shaky breath and sinks to the floor.

"You alright?" Peter asks, giving Neal a hand up.

Neal takes it and says, "Never better Peter… Never better."

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><p>G-"Just because I don't like <em>Guns<em>, doesn't mean I can't use one."-Neal, 1x08 Hard Sell

Peter hears the gun shot from outside the door. He pounds on the door, but he knows that it won't give. Fowler's done something to it, something that will inevitably delay Peter's entry.

He remembers Mozzie's cryptic yet alarming phone call. His heart lurches in his chest just thinking about it.

"_That's not the stupid part… He's got a gun._"

Warning bells ring loudly in Peter head. Just the thought of Neal with a gun, alone in a room with the man who presumably killed his lover, makes Peter pound harder at the door. He knows how good Neal is with a gun. Knows how dangerous it is for him to be around one.

He yells his colleague's name, hoping that alone will make him stop this madness. Hoping that Neal hasn't succumbed to the evil beast that is called revenge.

Peter barely holds back a curse. He'd been trying so hard to dissuade Neal from doing this. From screwing up his life. And here he was, watching as everything unfolded. Everything that he's tried to teach Neal has gone right down the drain.

He doesn't know if he can stop this from happening. But he can damn well try.


	8. H: Happy Ending and Happily Ever After

A/N: Hey guys.. another double letter because I don't know which one i like better. And for those of you reading Family Heritage, please give my author note some thinking!  
>DISCLAIMER:NOT MINE<p>

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><p>H- "The explosives on the plane were her idea. You'd parachute out over the ocean, the plane explodes… You live <em>happily ever after<em>." – Vincent Adler, 2x16 Under the Radar

Mozzie warned him of this. Warned him that happily ever afters weren't meant for people like them.

Neal, like always, didn't listen. He had thought about June and her late husband, Byron, and how they had managed to get out of the game for good. He wonders how the two of them managed to do it without hurting their criminal friends.

Neal doesn't want to hurt Mozzie, doesn't want their criminal kinship to be over. But he can't help but feel welcome here, in this life. It's something he's never experienced before.

The addictive rush he used to feel when pulling a con no longer satisfies him as much as he wants it to. It's somewhat disappointing, but he can live with it. He can live with the fact that he is changing. Changing from a con artist with a penchant with forging artwork, to a man who captures criminals. Mozzie thinks its Stockholm syndrome, but Neal knows it isn't.

He knows that his chance for a happily ever after with Kate is long gone, but maybe… just maybe, he can find one here among the people his criminal friends considered to be evil. The people who care about him.

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><p>H-"I always thought ours would be a <em>happy ending<em>."- Mozzie, 3x10 Countdown

Mozzie can't believe his ears. Can't believe that Neal would do something like this… without even telling him!

He continued to pace throughout Tuesday, not paying attention to his constantly ringing cell phones. Neal had been calling every single one of his phones for the past few hours, pleading for god knows what. Mozzie didn't even bother to check his voicemail; he didn't want to hear Neal's voice.

What Neal did was worse than a betrayal. Worse than anything that he's done before. Mozzie could condone working with the Feds, it was a simpler way to do time, and he could understand not performing any illegal acts unless they were absolutely necessary to the case. What he couldn't understand was the relationship between the two.

What criminal would willingly work with the Feds? Who in their right mind would **ever **work for them? They're the very beings that threatened their kind.

Mozzie thought that he did something right, something that would lead them to a happy ending. A happy ending filled with everything they've ever wanted. But, no. Neal just had to stay with Peter. He had to stay with the one man that could ruin the both of them.


	9. I: I Lied To You

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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><p>"You have every right to be angry... <em>I lied to you.<em>" -Neal, 3x10 Countdown

Neal Caffrey is by definition a liar. It's a part of who he is. As a conman, it is his job to lie to people. To convince them to do things they wouldn't normally do. Like give him access to information that would otherwise be classified. Information that was pertinent to the case, of course.

Sometimes it helped to be a good liar. There were some moments that Neal had saved himself by lying. And yet there were still moments where everyone believed that he was lying to protect his own skin.

There were times in his life that Neal had wondered when people would ever stop believing that he was a liar. That maybe that every little rumor of him having stolen the Mona Lisa and other various high priced paintings were false.

Neal chuckles to himself and shakes his head. When was he going to stop thinking about the impossibilities? There was no way that people were going to stop believing that he was both a liar and a thief. He had been doing both of those things for a very long time. So long that he didn't know how much had been integrated into his personality forever.


	10. J: Just a Memory

A/N: This time around it's a little different. It's longer than a double drabble, yet shorter than a triple drabble. So here you go. I wanted to go for something dark, yet unexplainable. I hope you guys like it.  
>Disclaimer: not mine. Nor will it ever be. sadface.<p>

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><p>"You can come back. I run on this, and New York is <em>just a memory <em>for me." Neal, 3x10 Countdown

Neal stands by the graves, a melancholic glaze over his eyes. The man standing behind him knows that Neal isn't looking at the grave. He's looking deep into his past, trying to find some solace in his memories.

It's been hard for Neal this year, too hard for anyone to go through alone. But the kid had pulled through. Just like the man knew he would. It took a couple of months, but soon, after prodding and poking into the kid's mind, he was sure that Neal would feel better.

Hopefully this time, it wouldn't be an act. Hopefully this time, Neal would actually be better. Better then when the man found him. The man had found him in a dark alleyway, covered in blood. Blood that didn't belong to Neal. They belonged to people he'd never heard of. People who obviously meant something to Neal.

The man felt for the kid, but after a few minutes at the graves, even he knew that it was time to go. He put a hand on Neal's shoulder and when the man was sure that Neal was looking, he motioned towards the car. Neal nodded understandingly, and took one last look at the graves; as if he was afraid of losing them again.

It is one of the many stages of grief that Neal wishes didn't exist. The ever-present shock… Neal knew they were gone, that they weren't coming back. Yet he still had to correct himself whenever he talked about them.

Not that he talked much about them much. For the first few weeks, Neal was silent. The images kept floating through his mind, keeping him awake until the man forced sleeping pills down his throat.

Those times were tough, but they're getting better. He just had to take it one day at a time.


	11. K: Keep You So Close

Disclaimer: not mine.

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><p>K- Keep you so close<p>

"You must have been some criminal for the F.B.I to want to _keep you so close_."-Walker

Neal's eyes are shut tight, a grimace forever imprinted on his face. The pain is unbearable and Neal doesn't know how much more he can take.

Peter is by his side, and a wince of sympathy is made every time Neal gasps in pain. He knows how much this is hurting his friend, knows that the EMTs are on the way. But he can't help but feel more than a pang of guilt as Neal continues to struggle.

He knows that what happened isn't his fault, Neal was the one who decided to jump in front of a bullet, but he hates seeing Neal get hurt. Sure, Neal might be an annoying pain in the butt sometimes, but he's never done anything to warrant this.

Peter has seen enough hurt in Neal's crystalline blue eyes. Enough to know that the man he's come to know as a partner, as a friend, has had a rough life. It doesn't matter how many times Neal says, 'I'm fine', Peter can tell that there are some skeletons in Neal's closet that he doesn't want anyone to know about. Skeletons that are life threatening.

He doubts even Mozzie knows about the secrets Neal has.


	12. L: Loyalty

A/N: You guys should check out my profile, because there is a question that I need answers to!  
>Disclaimer: i own nothing.<p>

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><p>L- Loyalty<p>

Peter-"You didn't know it was a scam." Neal-"No. My goal at the time was to prove my _loyalty_ to Adler."

Peter knows that Neal is loyal to a fault. Loyal to the point where if someone were to try and persuade him to run, Neal would refuse.

Sometimes though… Peter can forget that. He forgets about Neal's loyalty, and lets the facts about Neal's less than stellar record run wild in his head. Those facts are what makes everything feel worse. They make Peter's stomach clench with remorse…and guilt.

If Peter had gone over the facts like he should have, he would have known that Neal didn't run. That Neal wasn't the back stabbing thief Peter thought he was.

But because of Peter's mistake, Neal is lying in some hospital bed, with wounds that no one should have to suffer through. All because Peter thought Neal had betrayed him.

It was a silly mistake. Peter knows this, but he can't help but feel guilty seeing as how it's a mistake that happens often. It shouldn't happen at all really, but then again Peter can't really stop it from happening.

Peter can't stop it from happening because he knows that there is a small part of Neal that would take the bait and run. Run farther than he has ever before.


	13. M: Missing Piece

A/N: Nothing is mine! And ohmygodd... have you guys seen the sneak peak for the new season? I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT! it is four weeks and five days away!

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><p>M-"Let's see if we can find that <em>missing<em> _piece_." -Peter, Copycat Caffrey.

Neal looked in the mirror beside him and frowned at what he saw. He wasn't disappointed in his looks; they were a tool he used often in his cons to persuade women to give up information that he needed. He was disappointed in what he didn't see.

Which was a lot actually. He had thought that by now he and Kate would be in the midst of their happy ending. An ending that he's wanted since before he can remember. An ending that never happened. Kate was gone and there was nothing he can do to bring her back.

His heart would always be scarred because of what happened. Scarred beyond repair. It didn't matter whether or not her love was true-Peter and Mozzie had always thought she was a bad influence-, Neal loved her. And that's the only thing that mattered.

And to make things worse, Neal had to pretend that it never happened. That the explosion was just a horrid nightmare. Pretending took away the pain.

He felt that pain every night, and he went to drastic measures to pretend that everything's fine. Maybe if he pretended long enough, he'd be able to con himself into believing otherwise.


	14. N: No Idea and Never

A/N: Sorry for not updating the past week. I had a lot of homework to do... *lesigh* Anyways... These double drabbles are inspired by... none other than the sneak peek of the new season! These quotes are all from (I'm assuming) 3x11 because it's shown in the sneak peek. I could be totally wrong. Either way... I hope you like them. (also please review. I know you are reading it, i just want feedback. Pwease.) RE: Also: I am legitimately dead on my feet right now. Like I could fall asleep at any moment. (hence the rambling) And well that's my excuse for my writing if it seems terrible.  
>Disclaimer: I asked Santa for the rights to white collar, but i'm pretty sure that i'm on the naughty list. I guess that means I'm getting coal for Christmas!<br>(my lame attempt at holiday humor. I own nothing except for my bad jokes.)

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><p>Peter- "You have <em>no idea<em> how to handle him." Kramer- "Are you handling him? Or becoming him?"

Neal's plans have always seemed outrageous. Especially to Peter. They were actually bordering on ingenious. Neal's attention to detail…the confidence that practically oozed out of him when he so blatantly pulled the wool over someone's eyes… It was mesmerizing to watch.

But what Peter didn't know was that not all of Neal's plans went right. There was that job in Boston, the one in San Francisco, and he just couldn't forget about Copenhagen. They were all of Neal's more prominent mistakes. Mistakes that Peter didn't know about.

Peter didn't know about every wrong plan because well… Neal is rather good at covering his tracks. Especially when his tracks end up leading to a hospital. Or worse.

But this job… the one Neal was staking both his life and career on… This one was headed towards disaster.

Sure, having the treasure was nice and all…. But it wasn't worth losing what he made for himself here.

Neal had realized it too late though. He was in too deep; he couldn't save himself from this mess. Couldn't even try. And now Elizabeth is in danger.

Because of him. Because of what **he** did. And Neal has no idea how to fix it.

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><p>Keller- "The score of a lifetime…" Neal- "You're going to wish you <em>never <em>had it."

There are a lot of things that Neal has never done.

One: He's never lied to Peter.

Which is true in a way. He's never outright lied about anything. Just deflected when necessary, and led Peter to assume things that allegedly never happened. Like stealing the treasure. Neal didn't know where the treasure was, he still doesn't. Not since Moz moved it.

Two: He'd never willingly hurt someone.

Neal is described in the reports as a nonviolent criminal. A criminal who has a "victimless crime". Neal likes to believe this is true. The people who Neal allegedly stole from deserved it. They deserved to lose every penny. Everything that went "missing" was something that could be replaced easily. Something that they could easily afford to do.

Three: He will never ask Sara to change for him.

Neal had already suffered the consequences for changing Kate. He didn't want to go through that again, no matter how many happy memories he had of breaking into hotels and ordering 1,000-dollar cheeseburgers. He wanted something different with Sara, wanted something that he could make his own. Unlike with Kate, which had started out as a lie and grew into something more. Something unexplainable.


	15. O: Only Way

A/N: I OWN NOTHING I OWN NOTHING! LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES TIL THE PREMIERE!

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><p>O: "Mozzie tell Neal I love him. Tell him it's the <em>only way<em>."-Kate, 1x05 the Portrait

The only way Neal could save Kate was to give up his money, his bonds, and his art… all of it.

He refused, and look where it got him. He lost the love of his life.

He didn't lose her… She was taken from him, so brutally that even now Neal still wakes from the nightmares.

Just when Neal thought he was getting over her, getting over the chaos that had surrounded him, fate would be so cruel as to make it happen again. Sure it isn't happening to him directly, but it is his stash, his pot of gold… And once again, he'll be asked to give it up.

A voice in his head screams at him to give it up for the greater good. That no one else deserves to be hurt because of him, because of his treasure. But another voice whispers in his ear, whispers sweet nothings that make the inner con in him smirk.

The whispers are maddening, but the voice that sounds so hauntingly like Peter wins out. He can't help but remember the blast of heat against his back, that day at the hangar.

And Neal'll be damned if that happens to Elizabeth.


	16. P: Perfect Last Score

A/N: would you believe writer's block as a good enough excuse for not updating anything for months? Probably not right? Well either way I am sorry for doing that to you but I'm inspired from getting my friend into the show so here I am. Expect a lot of updates on this one.

I don't own anything

Word count: 200

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><p>P: "This was the one! The <em>perfect last score<em>! I knew you were dragging your feet!"-Mozzie 3x10 Countdown

The perfect last score is something all conmen and drifters dream of. The one last job before retiring into paradise with the world's riches at your side.

Most people don't believe it exists. They believe it's a hoax, that there's no way someone could achieve it without getting caught. But that's the point isn't it? To sacrifice everything you have, to risk everything you've ever laid claim to, in order to achieve paradise?

Neal Caffrey however, dreams of a different paradise. It's one that most conmen don't even think about, one that says something about the kind of man Caffrey is.

He dreams of a paradise where he can settle down, where he can have his own happily ever after, his own life. One where he doesn't have to sacrifice anything but his life of crime.

But some say he's already sacrificed it. Some say that's he's already living the dream, living the paradise he's been looking for. But who's to say that he knows? Who's to say he isn't still looking for it?

Maybe he does know that he's living in paradise. That he's attached to the world of government sanctioned cons and bad coffee. Maybe knowing is paradise.


	17. Q: Qualities

A/N: keeping it short and simple, here's letter Q! hope you all enjoyed the newest episode i know i sure did. also i dont own anything

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><p>Q- "You always were persistent Neal. One of the many <em>qualities<em> I admire about you."- Vincent Adler 2x16

The agents of the white collar division, or the Harvard Crew, as Peter liked to call them, knew a thing or two about conmen especially since Caffrey started working with them. They knew the qualities to look for in a con, the things that would help them understand the con's motives.

But it doesn't always make sense. Caffrey is hard to understand sometimes and it makes it confusing. But that's not the point. They've seen the qualities he has as a con and as a man, and it's led them to a rudimentary understanding of why Peter took him on.

The streak of loyalty that he has, the self-sacrificing heart, and most of all a sharp mind. All of those qualities make for a great conman. And for a great agent.

That's why Peter and Caffrey make such a great team. The two might butt heads every now and again, but what's a partnership without some good-hearted banter? Peter keeps Caffrey from slipping and Caffrey keeps Peter's life interesting to say the least.

Caffrey keeps Peter on his toes, and the Harvard Crew can agree that it makes work at the normally bland White Collar Division fun. Dangerous, but fun.


	18. R: Ransom

A/N: sorry about the lateness life kinda got busy, with the snow storm and all. But here's letter R. I might expand it into another story at some time but who knows? also i'm in the process of writing another chapter for A Young Con. sort of. It's in the works okay but it will be here soon. ish. sorry.

again i don't own anything woop woop

word count: 300

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><p>R-"Neal you're the ransom"-Peter Burke 1x13<p>

A pounding headache. A dark dank cellar. The cold harbor air chilling him to the bone. He can hear the waves lapping up against the shore, rhythmically going in and out, in and out, and the effect of it is calming to say the least.

He shivers in his now ruined shirt, ruined with blood and grime. He's been here for how long? A week? Maybe more? He can't tell anymore. All sense of time is blurred, and Neal doesn't know if he should be worried about it or not.

Sometimes a meal would get shoved through the slot in the door, by whom Neal assumes to be his kidnapper, but they've either forgotten about him or gotten caught because a meal hasn't been shoved halfheartedly through the slot in what seems like forever.

Neal eyes the door again, hoping to find a new way out. He's checked the door before and his search came up empty. The door is made of iron, and looks like the cross between a dungeon door and the door to an impenetrable safe. It sticks out from the rest of the house, as if it was placed there specifically to keep someone out –or rather keep someone in-.

Neal takes a deep breath and tries to stand up. His vision swirls and he scrambles for purchase on the wall beside him, but he slips and falls gracelessly onto the floor.

He groans; the fall bruising him up and making his presumably already broken ribs hurt even more. Neal's eyes shut in pain and he grimaces. His torso is aching in all the wrong places and he thinks it's probably a good idea to stay here for a while and not move. At all. It's not like anyone is coming for him anytime soon, right?


End file.
